I don’t care whether you’re a football fan or not, if you missed yesterday’s Navy — Notre Dame game, you missed an epic contest and one of the gutsiest performances by an underdog in years.
Here’s some of how AP called it over at Military.com:
Roger Staubach was quarterback for the Midshipmen in 1963 when they beat Notre Dame 35–14. Since then, the Irish have had their way — that is until Saturday.
Seven times during the streak the Midshipmen had chances to win in the fourth quarter only to be thwarted by bad luck, questionable calls or big plays by the Irish. A few times Saturday it looked as though the win would elude them again. But this time it was the Midshipmen who managed to make the decisive plays.
Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada threw a 25-yard TD pass to Reggie Campbell on the first play of the third overtime, then found him again for the 2-point conversion.
Notre Dame (1–8) cut the lead to two on a 5-yard TD run by Travis Thomas. But after a pass interference call gave Notre Dame a second chance at the 2-point conversion, defensive lineman Michael Walsh and linebacker Irv Spencer tackled Thomas well short of the end zone on the final play.
“Honestly, this win hasn’t even hit me yet,” linebacker Matt Wimsatt said. “I can’t wait to talk to everybody back home. This is definitely bigger than just one football game.”
For Notre Dame, it was its school-record fifth straight home loss, another low point in a season of lows. Weis said the 43-game winning streak had no meaning to him or the team.
“They’re worried about here and now. These kids are 17. You think they’re worrying about 43 years?” he said.
“To be honest, I don’t even know what the streak was at before it ended,” linebacker Joe Brockington said.
Weis said the home losing streak was much more important to the players. It also is the first time the Irish have lost five at home in one season.
Notre Dame did have its best game offensively, rushing for 235 yards, nearly doubling their season output, and James Aldridge ran for 125 yards. It wasn’t enough.
No, it wasn’t.
Congratulations, Navy. With that kind of determination and heart, it’s safe to say the future of our Navy and Marine Corps is very bright.
(Scoreboard photo: Keith Boring (USNA Class of ’82 football great). Team photo: AP)
– Ward
what the HELL?
what the shit does this have to do with “the future of the military, law enforcement and national security”?
Ignoring that, what does a good game have to do with “future of our Navy and Marine Corps”?
Simm:
The Sunday Paper is a feature that’s off the beaten path. (It’s Sunday, after all.)
And in response to your last comment, the reason the service academies have sports programs is (as anyone who’s ever played organized sports at the college level knows) they teach lessons about leadership and fortitude that can’t be learned anywhere else. If you think those don’t matter once the shooting starts then you obviously haven’t been there.
Yeah, you’re right about improving leadership and teamwork, but the “With that kind of determination and heart,” => ” it’s safe to say the future of our Navy and Marine Corps is very bright.” implication doesn’t hold with me.
I’ve seen a lot of articles off the beaten path, maybe it’s time to change the byline.
Thanks for the reply anyway, Ward.
I never thought I’d feel sorry for Notre Dame. That being said, great job Navy!
Simm:
If you only understood what this meant to we USNA grads, you’d realize that your dissatisfaction with this post is like a fart in a hurricane.
Please feel free to go elsewhere for your “military, law enforcement and national security” news, brother. That or take a deep breath and relax!
Best wishes,
huh. I watch about 1.5 football games every fourth year or so. wouldn’t call myself a sports fan in anything.…but, thank Gawd you weren’t posting something about B***ball (I can’t even bring myself to TYPE that awful blasphemous word on Sunday!) LOL!
Go Navy! well done.
(Ward, the Sunday supplement is always good…sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, sometimes.…well, sporty. my thanks, it’s always a nice diversion)
PS: off the beaten path, but worth a look: if you haven’t seen it yet, theres’ a Youtube up on that wild 15 lateral, 7 player touchdown of Trinity…Look it up!
Go Middies! One more win an they’re in the Poinsettia Bowl.
I’m there.
Not to diminish the Navy’s awesome victory, but hasn’t ND been having a really crappy season?